TiBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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B e r m u da 
Past and Present 



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BY 

ADALINE E. VANDERPOEL 



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PRIVATELY PRINTED V» NEW YORK 
NINETEEN HUNDRED AND TWO 




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Copyrighted 1902. 




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t has been said that the Bermuda Islands 
are the most isolated inhabited land on the 
face of the earth, still it is difficult for any 
one who sees them in their present beauty to 
realize that for nearly a century after they 
were discovered they were regarded with ter- 
ror by all mariners. They were known as 
" The Devil's Islands," full of bad weather, 
storms and evil spirits ; a land in which it was 
impossible for human beings to live. 

But in 1609, the Sea Advent'- 
small fleet sent from England ■. 
of Virginia, was separated fr 



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Bermuda Past and Present 


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during a violent storm and wrecked on the coral 
reefs that surround the islands. The vessel was 
lost, but all on board, one hundred and fifty in 
number, reached the land in safety and also suc- 
ceeded in saving the ship's rigging and stores. 

The sailors were amazed at finding neither 
gnomes nor pixies on the island. Wild hogs, 
good for food, roamed in the cedar woods; fish 
were plentiful in the water close to the shore and 
the climate was so delightful, many wished to 
remain in a country that had proved so attrac- 
tive. But Sir George Somers, the commander 
of the expedition, felt that they ought to carry 
out the orders given to them when they left 
England, and go to Virginia. 

Two small vessels were built of the cedar 

wood in which the islands abound, and nine 

er the shipwreck the whole party 

^irginia. On arriving there they 

iny destroyed, and Sir George and 

:e returned to Bermuda, intending 

.1^ colony on the Island of St. George 

wnicri naa Deen named for him. But he was no 

longer a young man, and the fatigue and ex- 



posures and disappointments of the repeated 
voyages proved too exhausting, and he died soon 
after landing. His discouraged men returned to 
England, taking his body with them; but his 
heart, at his own request, was buried on the 
island that still bears his name. 

The stories told by the sailors on their return 
roused the interest of the English Government, 
and, in 1611, a shipload of emigrants was sent 
out, under the charge of Sir Richard Moore, to 
take formal possession of the islands. 

The story of the quarrels among the early 
colonists and the sufferings they endured from 
the depredations of the Spanish Buccaneers 
would be too long for me to tell, and although 
they grew and prospered there is nothing of 
special interest to Americans in that part of 
their history until the time of our Revoluntionary 
War. Then their sympathy for us was shown in 
a most practical way, for when General Wash- 
ington, before the evacuation of Boston, heard 
that a quantity of ammunition was stored in a 
remote part of the islands, he wrote to some 
prominent Bermudians telling of his great need 




iind his wish to purchase the powder; thev re- 
plied that he should have it, and the powder came 
in time, but so secretly that how it was broue;ht 
to this country was known only to those actuallv 
engfag-ed in the transfer. In later times Cone^ress 
g-ranted the right to export provision to Bermuda 
m return for this act of kindness to the colonies 
m their struggle for independence. 

In 1804, Tom Moore, the Irish poet, was ap- 
pointed Registrar of the Court of Vice Admiralty 
in Bermuda. He was delighted with the honor 
and supposed that the salary would be large. 
Great was his disappointment, on arriving at his 
post, to find that his perquisites depended prin- 
cipally on war, and that in times of peace his 
revenue would be very small. He wrote to his 
mother that even a war with Spain would not 
make it worth his while to stay in such a primi- 
tive country, and he soon returned to England., 
But he felt the charm of the wonderful Bermu- 
dian coloring and the climate with its aromatic 
breath of the cedars, and some of the best de- 
scriptions of the islands are to be found in his 
odes and letters. His warm, genial nature made 




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Bermuda Past and Present 




many friends, and his memory was so cherished 
that on the one hundredth anniversary o£ his 
birth the town flag was raised at St. George in 
memory of his connection with the islands, and 
some of his stanzas describing their beauty were 
posted on the flag staff and read by the passers 
by with great interest. 

In these days few tourists go to Bermuda who 
do not visit his home at Walsingham and the 
old Calabash tree of which he so often wrote. 
The chimney of his room, with its blue tiles, is 
unchanged and the cedar doors and casement are 
blackened by time. Even his peculiarities are 
still remembered. Among others, his dislike to 
mice that almost amounted to fear. He had an- 
other foible which men are fond of saying be- 
longs exclusively to women, but my observation 
in life has convinced me that it is masculine as 
well as feminine. He was exceedingly inquisitive. 
A lady at whose house he was a frequent visitor, 
one day, when she was expecting him to call, in 
a spirit of mischief placed a mouse in her work 
box and turned the key but left it in the lock. 
"Vv/^hen the poet entered he took his seat by the 













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Bermuda Past and Present 


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table on which the box stood and soon began to 
play with the key. The temptation was irresis- 
tible ; he turned the key and raised the lid, when, 
to his great disgust, the mouse jumped into his 

lap. 

It is said that he never forgave the lady for 
her mischievous trick, and to her were addressed 
the familiar lines, 

"When I loved you, I can't but allow, 
I had many an exqusite minute, 
But the scorn that I feel for you now 
Hath even more luxury in it! 
Thus whether we're on or we're off 
Some witchery seems to await you. 
To love you is pleasant enough 
And oh! tis delicious to hate you." 

Moore only remained in Bermuda for four 
months, but he continued to draw his salary for 
forty years, and then was removed from the 
office on the ground of "continued non-resi- 
dence." 

Could the poet return to Bermuda at the pres- 
ent time, he would wonder at the changes that 



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Bermuda Past and Present "*? 

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have taken place. A massive causeway nearly 
two miles in length now connects the island of 
St. George with the larger island of Bermuda, 
and the town of St. George, which was the prin- 
cipal place of business in 1804 and also the centre 
of military and naval life, is now quite super- 
seded by Hamilton, with its more central loca- 
tion, better business facilities and fine hotels. 
The seat of Government was removed there in 
181 5 from St. George by Governor Hamilton, 
whose name was given to the new city. The 
Parliament House there and the Post Office 
would be considered fine buildings in any country. 

Ireland Island has one of the largest and best 
dockyards in the world. There are forts on 
every point and red coats and marines are seen 
everywhere. 

At first, a stranger wonders why these small 
islands are so well fortified, for they rank next 
to Gibraltar in England's strong fortifications. 
But they are the rendezvous for the British fleet 
in the Atlantic Ocean, and, with Halifax in the 
north. Englishmen feel that the whole Atlantic 
Coast of the United States is under their sur- 




veillance. But we feel sure that this is only in a 
spirit of true friendliness, for during the last 
twenty years these lovely islands have been a 
winter home to many Americans who are warmly 
welcomed by the residents. And the change 
from our cold winters to a land of sunshine and 
flowers is most welcome. 

The Flora of Bermuda is wonderful, though 
not indigenous to the soil. One of the English 
Governors, in the early part of the eighteenth 
century, sent to the West Indies for a variety of 
tropical plants, which have grown and flourished 
in their new home, and it is said there is not a 
poisonous plant in the islands. 

The hedges of Oleander, sometimes twelve feet 
high, are beautiful with their great clusters of 
red, white and pink flowers. The Poinsetta is 
much prized in northern greenhouses for the 
large red flowers at the extreme end of its green 
stalk, but in Bermuda, the stems, leaves and blos- 
soms are all a brilliant red and make a bright 
spot in the landscape. Scarlet geraniums and 
lantanas grow everywhere and the rose geranium 
is equally common, but is usually called "the 



Bermuda Past and Present 



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graveyard geranium," as pillows are made of its 
fragrant leaves to place under the head of those 
who are resting in their "last dreamless sleep." 

All are familiar with pictures of the large fields 
of Bermuda lilies, but it may not be generally 
known that onions are often cultivated in the 
same field and are called "Bermuda Violets." 
We are told that "a rose by any other name will 
srnell as sweet," and I am equally sure that an 
onion whether it is called violet, mignonette or 
snow-drop will still retain the peculiar odor by 
which it is recognized in all lands. 

There are many interesting churches in Ber- 
muda. The old Devonshire church dates back 
to 1 7 19 and is still standing, though no longer 
used, for the walls have been pronounced unsafe. 
At one end of the church is a cedar tree, the 
oldest in the islands, from whose topmost branch 
the bell was hung that for more than a century 
called the congregation together for daily and 
weekly services. It is dead now, but in its hollow 
trunk is a vigorous young tree growing up as if 
determined to carry on the good work begun by 
its ancestor. 



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Bermuda Past and Present SP 



The Mother Church in the islands is St. Peter's 
in the town of St. George. The present walls 
were built in 1713, and at first the roof was 
thatched, but in 1765 this was replaced by one 
of stone, which still remains. The massive silver 
communion service given by King William III. 
is still in constant use. But the service most 
frequented on Sunday morning by strangers is 
held in what is called the Garrison Church, near 
the barracks at Prospect. It is a lovely drive 
from Hamilton, and not a long walk for good 
pedestrians. A large West Indian regiment is 
now stationed there, and the contrast between 
their shining ebony faces and sleeveless red coats 
worn over full white shirts was very picturesque 
as they marched in and took their places. I 
have heard the Te Deum in some of the finest 
churches in Italy, but it has seldom seemed to me 
more impressive than in that barn-like building, 
used as a gymnasium six days in the week, with 
a temporary altar at one end and the walls 
covered with ropes and swings and ladders and 
bars. The voices of the men were so full and 
strong, led by their own band, which is said to 





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Bermuda Past and Present 









be one of the finest in the British Army. After 
service the band usually plays for an hour on 
the green near the church, and the music is good 
even if not strictly devotional. 

The colored race in Bermuda seemed to me 
much superior to that in our own country. Bet- 
ter looking, better mannered, and far more effi- 
cient as house servants. But, oh suffering house- 
keepers of this southern land, *'ye must possess 
your souls in patience," for slavery was abolished 
in these islands in 1834, and if nearly three- 
score years and ten are required to make good 
servants of freed blacks, I fear that few of you 
who are now struggling with the great prob- 
lem wdll live to see it solved. 

The Boer prisoners excite a good deal of 
interest in modern Bermuda. Last December 
two thousand were confined on two of the islands. 
They are housed in Bell tents with plank floors 
and are as well fed as the soldiers in the English 
Army. Their meat alone costs the British Gov- 
ernment a thousand dollars a day, and last sum- 
mer, while the drought prevailed in Bermuda, 
water was carried to them from St. George's 









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at one hundred dollars a day. I was told on 
good authority that the meat and groceries and 
vegetables furnished them were of the best. Eng- 
land knows that the whole civilized world is 
watching to see how these prisoners are treated, 
and even if she were not influenced by the higher 
motive of humanity, she would care justly for 
them. The only work required of them is to 
prepare their own food and take care of their 
own quarters, but if they wish to work there 
are trees to be cut on the islands they occupy, 
and some fertile spots to be cultivated. If they 
choose to do this work they are well paid for 
doing it, but it is optional with them. Many 
employ their time in making children's toys out 
of the red cedar wood or in carving brooches 
or other trinkets out of bones. There is a shop 
on one of the principal streets where these things 
are sold at a good price, only a small percentage 
being allowed to the saleswomen and the rest of 
the money goes to the prisoners. The day that 
the steamer sails for New York the shop is al- 
most emptied of its contents, for most tourists 
Vv^ish to take away some memento of such a 





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Bermuda Past and Present 


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strange people. Many of them are living more 
comfortably than they have ever done before, but 
they are captives and captivity is always hard to 
bear. The islands they occupy are protected by 
many straight rows of barbed wire which are 
crossed and recrossed by the same material so 
many times it would seem impossible for any one 
to get away, yet one man contrived to escape and 
went up to New York on a steamer as a stoker. 
His fellow stokers knew that he was an escaped 
prisoner, but no one betrayed him, and on reach- 
ing New York, he was feasted and feted by many 
who sympathized with his cause. 

Two young English officers sat smoking one 
day, and were idly watching rather a laree box 
that seemed tossed back and forth on the water, 
when one of them sprang: to his feet and ex- 
claimed. "There's something- wrong about that 
box, for it is steadily making its wav aeainst 
the tide !" A boat was sent out. and a Boer was 
found under the box. When asked how he could 
expect to escape in that way, he said he hoped 
to get into the interior for he knew he could 
take care of himself if he could only get there. 



The poor fellow did not realize that there is 
lao interior in Bermuda. At no point is the 
largest island more than three miles in width, and 
although there is a great growth of cedar woods 
on the island yet those woods are crossed at 
short intervals by roads broad enough for three 
horses to go abreast. I often wondered if being 
on an island did not add to the bitterness of exile, 
for many of the prisoners had never seen a river 
or lake or any body of water until they were 
taken to Durban to embark on their long voyage. 
What matters it to them that the Bermuda 
Islands are three hundred and sixty-five in num- 
ber when they can see but few of them, and the 
water all around is less attractive to them than 
the broad velts of their own land? But to us 
who were free to go and come as we pleased that 
water was always beautiful, and we found the 
good roads on all parts of the islands a great 
pleasure. These roads were cut by the convicts 
when Boaz Island was used by England as a 
penal station, through the coral rock of which 
the islands are formed, and whether they lead 
through cedar woods or through walls of rock 





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nearly fifteen feet high or on a level, with nothing 
to obstruct the view of the sparkling ocean on one 
side and the sound studded with islands on the 
other, they are always hard and smooth. There 
are many beautiful drives on the islands and the 
excursions by water even more numerous. The 
sky and water are so blue and bright there is 
everything in Bermuda to make life out of doors 
delightful and health giving. . 

Have any of you bronchial tubes that refuse 
to do their work? Go to Bermuda; the soft air 
will bring healing strength. Have any of you 
rheumatic twinges? The place is a panacea for 
those woes. Are any of you haunted by that 
dreadful "something still undone that waits and 
will not go away?" Go to Bermuda. The 
soothing Spanish "Mariana" must have crept 
across the water from Mexico for Bermudians 
are never hurried. If a thing is not finished 
to-day, it can be done to-morrow or the day after 
or the next day — there is time enough. And that 
is a lesson good for wearied nerves to learn. 
And lest I should be considered too enthusiastic 
about these beautiful islands, I will close this 



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paper with the even more positive words of 
another : 

"Nowhere can be found within the compass of 
nineteen square miles so much that is novel, beau- 
tiful and interesting with such air and such 
sunshine and such peace as can be found in 
Bermuda." 




